Multiple driver head post driving system

ABSTRACT

A multiple driver head post driving system includes a vehicle having a chassis with a front end, a back end, a side extending from the front end to the back end, and an opposing side extending from the front end to the back end; and a driver head assembly. The driver head assembly is coupled to the chassis and includes a framework carrying a plurality of driver heads.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/066,342, filed 20 Oct. 2014.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to construction equipment.

More particularly, the present invention relates to equipment for driving posts.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In the construction field, there is a great demand for erecting posts by inserting them into the ground in a predetermined, usually parallel, vertical orientation. The posts can, of course, be set in by hand with the aid of a plumb bob or level but this is an expensive and drawn out procedure. In many applications, multiple posts in adjacent alignment must be provided, such as for fences, covered parking structures and the like.

Conventional post drivers pound posts into the ground as best they can using a single reciprocating weight. After each post is driven, the equipment must be moved and positioned for the next post, and so on. The repeated moving and set-up, necessitating measuring and alignment for accurate placement and the like, is very inefficient. Continuous resetting and movement of the conventional post drive can be tedious and take a great deal of time to accomplished.

It would be highly advantageous, therefore, to remedy the foregoing and other deficiencies inherent in the prior art.

An object of the present invention is to provide a post driving system capable of concurrently driving multiple posts.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Briefly, to achieve the desired objects and advantages of the instant invention, provided is a multiple driver head post driving system. The system includes a vehicle having a chassis with a front end, a back end, a side extending from the front end to the back end, and an opposing side extending from the front end to the back end, and a driver head assembly. The driver head assembly is coupled to the chassis and includes a plurality of stanchions with each one of the plurality of stanchions supporting an associated one of the plurality of driver heads. A plurality of carriages with each one of the plurality of carriages carrying an associated one of the plurality of driver heads. Each of the plurality of carriages is separately reciprocally movable longitudinally along an associated one of the plurality of stanchions, between a raised position and a lowered position. A plurality of track element is provided with each of the plurality of track elements horizontally coupled to an associated on of the plurality of stanchions. Each one of the plurality of driver heads is carried by and reciprocally movable along an associated one of the plurality of track elements.

In a further aspect, the multiple driver head post driving system includes a longitudinally extendable arm having an end and a terminal end. The longitudinally extendable arm is coupled to and extends across the chassis with the end proximate the opposing side and the terminal end proximate the side. An actuator moves the arm generally perpendicularly with respect to the chassis between a retracted position and an extended position. The driver head assembly is coupled to the terminal end of the arm. The driver head assembly can be coupled to the terminal end of the arm by a pivot assembly carried by the terminal end of the arm. The pivot assembly moves the driver head assembly between a deployed position and a stored position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing and further and more specific objects and advantages of the invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof, taken in conjunction with the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a multiple driver head post driving system according to the present invention; and

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the multiple driver head post driving system of FIG. 1 as it appears with the driving apparatus separated horizontally.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Turning now to the drawings in which like reference characters indicate corresponding elements throughout the several views, attention is directed to FIG. 1 which illustrates a multiple driver head post driving system generally designated 10. System 10 includes a vehicle 12 having a chassis 14 with a front end 15, back end 16 side 18 and opposing side 19. Vehicle 12 is illustrated as a tracked vehicle, but it will be understood that vehicle 12 can employ tracks, wheels and the like. A longitudinally extendable arm 20 having an end 22 and a terminal end 23 is coupled to chassis 14. Arm 20 extends across chassis 14 with end 22 proximate opposing side 19 and terminal end 24 proximate side 18. Arm 22 is extendable by hydraulic actuators 25 and the like substantially perpendicularly outwardly from side 18 to and extended position and inwardly toward chassis 14 to the retracted position. In this manner, arm 22 is reciprocally movable between a retracted position and an extended position. Arm 22 can be a telescoping structure, a beam on a track or similar extendable arm mechanisms. While hydraulic actuators are preferred, it will be understood that pneumatic actuators, mechanical actuators, electrical actuators, and the like can be employed.

A driver head assembly 30 is carried by arm 20. Driver head assembly 30 includes a framework including a plurality of stanchions 32 supporting a plurality of driver heads 34. In the preferred embodiment, driver heads 34 are hydraulic hammers for driving posts, and the like, and are well known in the art. Therefore they will not be described in detail. It will be understood that other types of pile drivers can also be employed. Driver head assembly 30 is coupled to terminal end 23 of arm 20 by a bracket 35. Bracket 35 is coupled between stanchions 32 and a pivot assembly 36 carried by terminal end 23 of arm 20. Pivot assembly 36 permits driver head assembly 30 to be moved between a deployed position (with stanchions 32 upright with respect to chassis 14) and a stored position (with the stations generally parallel to chassis 14). A stanchion 32 is provided for each of the plurality of driver heads 34 as will be described presently. Thus, two stanchions 32 are provided for two driver heads 34, three stanchions 32 for three driver heads 34, and the like. Stanchions 32 are coupled in a parallel spaced apart relationship by cross pieces 38 and supported by bracket 35. Each stanchion 32 carries a chain and sprocket assembly 40.

Driver head assembly 30 further includes a carriage 42 for each driver head 34. Each carriage 42 is reciprocally movable longitudinally along an associated stanchion 32 by the associated chain and sprocket assembly 40, between a raised position and a lowered position. Each carriage 42 includes a coupling 44 coupling the carriage to the associate sprocket assembly 40, and an associated transverse track element 45. The transverse track element 45, associated with each driver head 34 and stanchion 32, is positioned perpendicular to an associated stanchion 32. Each driver head 34 is carried by track elements 45 of carriages 42, one of the plurality of driver heads to each of track elements 45. In this manner, driver heads 34 can be reciprocally moved along track elements 45 as desired to alter the spacing between driver heads 34. Driver heads 34 can be positioned adjacent one another (FIG. 1) or spaced apart a distance supported by the length of track elements 45 (FIG. 2). While two driver heads are illustrated, additional driver heads can be added by adding additional stanchions and related elements. Thus, multiple posts can be driven at the same time, with the spacing of those posts variable as desired. Thus, multiple driver heads can be employed at the same time with variable spacing therebetween as desired.

Various changes and modifications to the embodiments herein chosen for purposes of illustration will readily occur to those skilled in the art. To the extent that such modifications and variations do not depart from the spirit of the invention, they are intended to be included within the scope thereof, which is assessed only by a fair interpretation of the following claims.

Having fully described the invention in such clear and concise terms as to enable those skilled in the art to understand and practice the same, 

The invention claimed is:
 1. A multiple driver head post driving system comprising: a vehicle having a chassis with a front end, a back end, a side extending from the front end to the back end, and an opposing side extending from the front end to the back end; and a driver head assembly coupled to the chassis, the driver head assembly including a framework carrying a plurality of driver heads.
 2. A multiple driver head post driving system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the framework includes a plurality of stanchions with each one of the plurality of stanchions supporting an associated one of the plurality of driver heads.
 3. A multiple driver head post driving system as claimed in claim 2 wherein the driver head assembly further includes a plurality of carriages with each one of the plurality of carriages carrying an associated one of the plurality of driver heads, each of the plurality of carriages separately reciprocally movable longitudinally along an associated one of the plurality of stanchions between a raised position and a lowered position.
 4. A multiple driver head post driving system as claimed in claim 3 wherein each of the carriages is movable longitudinally along an associated one of the plurality of stanchions by a chain and sprocket assembly carried by the associated stanchion and coupled to the carriage.
 5. A multiple driver head post driving system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the driver head assembly further includes a plurality of track element, each of the plurality of track elements horizontally coupled to the framework, each one of the plurality of driver heads is carried by and reciprocally movable along an associated one of the plurality of track elements.
 6. A multiple driver head post driving system as claimed in claim 1 further including: a longitudinally extendable arm having an end and a terminal end, the longitudinally extendable arm coupled to and extending across the chassis with end proximate the opposing side and the terminal end proximate the side; an actuator moving the arm generally perpendicularly with respect to the chassis, between a retracted position and an extended position; and wherein the driver head assembly is coupled to the terminal end of the arm.
 7. A multiple driver head post driving system as claimed in claim 6 wherein the driver head assembly is coupled to the terminal end of the arm by a pivot assembly carried by the terminal end of the arm, the pivot assembly moves the driver head assembly between a deployed position and a stored position.
 8. A multiple driver head post driving system comprising: a vehicle having a chassis with a front end, a back end, a side extending from the front end to the back end, and an opposing side extending from the front end to the back end; and a driver head assembly coupled to the chassis, the driver head assembly comprising: a plurality of stanchions with each one of the plurality of stanchions supporting an associated one of the plurality of driver heads; a plurality of carriages with each one of the plurality of carriages carrying an associated one of the plurality of driver heads, each of the plurality of carriages separately reciprocally movable longitudinally along an associated one of the plurality of stanchions between a raised position and a lowered position; and a plurality of track element, each of the plurality of track elements horizontally coupled to an associated on of the plurality of stanchions, each one of the plurality of driver heads is carried by and reciprocally movable along an associated one of the plurality of track elements.
 9. A multiple driver head post driving system as claimed in claim 8 wherein each of the carriages is movable longitudinally along an associated one of the plurality of stanchions by a chain and sprocket assembly carried by the associated stanchion and coupled to the carriage.
 10. A multiple driver head post driving system as claimed in claim 8 further including: a longitudinally extendable arm having an end and a terminal end, the longitudinally extendable arm coupled to and extending across the chassis with end proximate the opposing side and the terminal end proximate the side; an actuator moving the arm generally perpendicularly with respect to the chassis, between a retracted position and an extended position; and wherein the driver head assembly is coupled to the terminal end of the arm.
 11. A multiple driver head post driving system as claimed in claim 10 wherein the driver head assembly is coupled to the terminal end of the arm by a pivot assembly carried by the terminal end of the arm, the pivot assembly moves the driver head assembly between a deployed position and a stored position.
 12. A multiple driver head post driving system comprising: a vehicle having a chassis with a front end, a back end, a side extending from the front end to the back end, and an opposing side extending from the front end to the back end; a longitudinally extendable arm having an end and a terminal end, the longitudinally extendable arm coupled to and extending across the chassis with the end proximate the opposing side and the terminal end proximate the side; an actuator moving the arm generally perpendicularly with respect to the chassis, between a retracted position and an extended position; and a driver head assembly coupled to the terminal end of the arm.
 13. A multiple driver head post driving system as claimed in claim 12 wherein the driver head assembly is coupled to the terminal end of the arm by a pivot assembly carried by the terminal end of the arm, the pivot assembly moves the driver head assembly between a deployed position and a stored position.
 14. A multiple driver head post driving system as claimed in claim 13 wherein the framework includes a plurality of stanchions with each one of the plurality of stanchions supporting an associated one of the plurality of driver heads.
 15. A multiple driver head post driving system as claimed in claim 13 wherein the driver head assembly further includes a plurality of carriages with each one of the plurality of carriages carrying an associated one of the plurality of driver heads, each of the plurality of carriages separately reciprocally movable longitudinally along an associated one of the plurality of stanchions between a raised position and a lowered position.
 16. A multiple driver head post driving system as claimed in claim 15 wherein each of the carriages is movable longitudinally along an associated one of the plurality of stanchions by a chain and sprocket assembly carried by the associated stanchion and coupled to the carriage.
 17. A multiple driver head post driving system as claimed in claim 13 wherein the driver head assembly further includes a plurality of track element, each of the plurality of track elements horizontally coupled to the framework, each one of the plurality of driver heads is carried by and reciprocally movable along an associated one of the plurality of track elements. 